Evaluation that fosters positive change.
Evaluation Specialists is a woman-and LGBTQ-owned small business. We are based in California, with staff working and living in California, Washington, and Colorado. We provide comprehensive evaluation and research services. Our goal is to support learning and program improvement in organizations working at community, state, and national levels.
Our team is comprised of senior-level staff. Our diverse expertise offers clients a range of methods to answer important, real-world questions and support program and system improvement as the work unfolds.
We support world bettering programs, policies, and systems so they can do the most for good. These include non-profit organizations, foundations, government agencies, universities, and communities primarily in the fields of health promotion, prevention, and education.
We believe we have a role as evaluators to work towards and in ways that promote social justice. We conduct our work in ways that support the unravelling of systemic oppression and contribute to equity. By equity, we mean structures and systems that are fair and just. We adhere to principles of social justice and guidance from the Equitable Evaluation Initiative.
How We Work
Our style is collaborative. We partner with our clients to craft and implement evaluation plans. We focus our energies on timely, accurate, actionable results that measurably benefit the communities our clients serve.
Our plans are responsive. Especially when you’re helping people, you must be agile. Goals change. Contexts change. We encourage rigorous, multi-method approaches that emphasize inclusiveness and a cultural fit.
Our products are shareable. We ally with our clients to ensure our work together engages stakeholders, fosters evaluation use, and inspires program improvement.
Our results are clear and actionable. We answer your key questions and help identify future directions. We take the details and weave them into a full rich story.
Our Principles
Client Collaboration
Scientific Rigor
Social Justice
Cultural fit
Actionable Findings
Our Focus Areas
Mental, physical and sexual health
Community-based prevention and health promotion
Violence prevention
Substance abuse prevention
School food and wellness
Leadership and youth development
Early childhood education
Experiential learning
Meet Your New Corps of Collaborators
Jan Vanslyke, PhD, MSW
OWNER, EVALUATION STRATEGY SPECIALISTJan is the Founder of Evaluation Specialists. She has more than twenty years experience leading the development and implementation of research and evaluation plans in social welfare and public health, at community, state, and national levels. Jan@EvaluationSpecialists.com Download Jan's Resume
Blair Beadnell, PhD
OWNER, QUANTITATIVE SPECIALISTBlair has over twenty years years of experience conducting and consulting on behavioral research on topics such as sexual and health risk-taking, substance use and abuse, and interpersonal violence and conducting federally-funded studies. Blair@EvaluationSpecialists.com Download Blair's Resume
Marisa Allen, PHD
EMERGENT LEARNING SPECIALISTMarisa is a senior-level professional with over fifteen years experience providing comprehensive programmatic and evaluation services to non-profit organizations, government agencies, and foundations working across the United States.
Marisa@EvaluationSpecialists.com Download Marisa's Resume
Damian Rainey
USER EXPERIENCE SPECIALISTDamian has over fifteen years of experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research in tech, healthcare, and public policy. He uses this background to evaluate and improve people's experiences with products, services, and communities. Damian@EvaluationSpecialists.com Download Damian's Resume
Tatiana Masters, PhD, MSW
QUALITATIVE SPECIALISTTatiana uses qualitative techniques, both on their own and as a complement to quantitative methods, to increase understanding of people’s beliefs and behavior. Her work has focused on improving vulnerable groups’ wellbeing through the prevention of negative outcomes like sexual violence and STIs. Tatiana@EvaluationSpecialists.com Download Tatiana's Resume
Amanda Mathies, MPS
ADVOCACY AND REACH SPECIALISTAmanda's expertise includes designing and implementing comprehensive mixed-method evaluation plans, producing deliverables that encourage utilization, and international development.
Amanda@EvaluationSpecialists.com Download Amanda's Resume
Melissa Jaramillo
ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGERMelissa Jaramillo was the very first ever Evaluation Specialists employee. And now, after taking leave for a few years to be with her kids, she’s back as our Administrative Manager. She comes with experience in administrative support and quality control. When she’s not organizing us, she and her husband are wrangling their children and dogs in San Diego, California. If a quiet minute finds her, she’s delighted to catch up on her book club book.
Melissa@EvaluationSpecialists.com
Heather Vadun
ACCOUNTINGHeather manages the accounting for Evaluation Specialists. Heather@EvaluationSpecialists.com
Associates
Erin Casey, MSW, PhD
Associate
Mary Crave, PhD
EVALUATOR, PARTICPATORY METHODS SPECIALISTMary has 40 years of experience as an extension educator, with 20 years as a trainer and evaluator in international development. She focuses on training and using participatory methods in agriculture, gender equity, youth development, and non-formal education, primarily in Africa.
Mary@EvaluationSpecialists.com
